Combined Effects of Polystyrene Nanosphere and Homosolate Exposures on Estrogenic End Points in MCF-7 Cells and Zebrafish
Rongyi Ye, Zhiming Li, Hongyi Xian, Yizhou Zhong, Boxuan Liang, Yuji Huang, Da Chen, Mingzhu Dai, Shuqin Tang, Jie Guo, Ruobing Bai, Yu Feng, Zhenguo Chen, Xingfen Yang, Zhenlie Huang
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and homosalate (HMS) are ubiquitous emerging environmental contaminants detected in human samples. Despite the well-established endocrine-disrupting effects (EDEs) of HMS, the interaction between MNPs and HMS and its impact on HMS-induced EDEs remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: . METHODS: ) for 21 d. EDEs were evaluated through gonadal histopathology, fertility tests, steroid hormone synthesis, and gene expression changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad-liver (HPGL) axis. RESULTS: . DISCUSSION: PNS exposure exacerbated HMS-induced estrogenic effects via SGK1 up-regulation in MCF-7 cells and disrupting the HPGL axis in zebrafish, with gender-specific patterns. This offers new mechanistic insights and health implications of MNP and contaminant coexposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13696.